Strategies for LGBTQI+
Focus
- Complications unique to LQBTQI+ individuals and couples
- Getting on the same financial page with your partner
- Ensuring your wishes are upheld
- Retirement needs and coupling
- Marriage or partnership
- Starting a family
- Partnership protection
Strategies
- Estate Planning
Estate planning is critical for LGBTQ+ couples, especially when a considerable amount of assets are involved. Your needs are complex and planning takes time, that is why one of the most important steps to safeguarding your loved ones and ensuring your wishes are carried out is creating an estate plan.
It isn't easy to think about but it's important for LGBTQI+ couples to consider their wishes for end-of-life care. You and your partner or spouse need to take the time together to understand each other's wishes and decide how you would like them to be carried out. Through your estate attorney, creating living wills, health care proxies, and medical powers of attorney will be an essential part of your financial estate plan.
- Retirement Planning
LGBTQ+ couples' ability to save and plan for retirement is often affected by career opportunities and unexpected changes in employment. However, there are strategies for all scenarios, the essential component is planning for and preserving your retirement savings. Together, you can fund your retirement in ways you may not have thought possible. While there are multiple examples and options to discuss, one way is for your spouse to make a tax-deductible IRA contribution on behalf of a non-working spouse. Regardless of the legal status of your relationship, it is good to know that you have options.
- Marriage or Partnership
There are long-term benefits to marriage including social security and health care coverage. Federal protection of your assets is also improved through marriage. We help you navigate these scenarios if you choose marriage or partnership. Domestic partnership agreements that provide detailed financial planning terms can be very helpful.
- Starting a Family
Deciding to start a family is a big decision for any couple, however, there are some unique concerns for you and your family to consider such as international or domestic adoption and the issues that need to be navigated in the process. Additional options to financially plan for may include fertility treatments and healthcare needs. Providing for your children now and in the future is financially demanding, and nothing helps you take care of your family better than a financial plan. Trusts, wills, estate plans, college savings plans, and the like should be an essential component of your family planning approach.
The only thing that should define you and your relationship is love and commitment, not labels. We see YOU.